Where does “atheling” come from?
atheling (Middle English) comes from Old English æþeling, from Proto-Germanic aþulingaz, from Proto-Germanic aþulijaz, from Proto-Germanic aþalą, from Proto-Indo-European at-al, from Proto-Indo-European h₂el- — to grow, nourish; beyond, other; to wander, roam.
Ancestry of “atheling”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | æþeling | prince; person |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | aþulingaz | prince |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | aþulijaz | noble |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | aþalą | nature, disposition; nobility, race |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | at-al | family, race |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂el- | to grow, nourish; beyond, other; to wander, roam |
Words derived from “atheling”